Under Your Command
by LALALALOVEmee
Summary: Princess Sina has always been hated by the citizens for not acting like royalty. For one, she gets accepted into the Survey Corps. However, an ancient power soon manifests in Sina, proving her ties to royalty are much stronger than they seem. A tale about the adventures and misadventures of a peculiar princess, and the man that accompanies her throughout. LevixOC. AU.
1. The Wild Princess

Standard Disclaimers Apply

Warning: Though based on the SnK universe, I've definitely tampered with things here and there. It is heavily OC based in regards to the heroine and her family, and it does not follow SnK's plot. Forgive me for any OOCness of the canon characters.

Also, language.

* * *

1\. The Wild Princess

* * *

Princess Sina was blessed with both beauty and talent. Named after the great wall itself, she was viewed as the pillar of light that shone down on these-

Yeah fucking right.

Princess Sina -no, just the thought of that title irritated her - _Sina_ was not your average princess. Born last, she was naturally fourth to the throne in her family, after her lovely older sister Princess Rose and her two gifted older brothers Prince Hans and Prince Arlan.

The first prince, Arlan, had already taken care of all the royal pain in the ass work. The first princess, Rose, handled all the duties that a normal princess was supposed to have (looking pretty sitting on a flowery throne with jewels on her head). Hans, the second prince, handled all the public affairs, regularly patrolling the districts and greeting practically everyone on the streets. (The citizens loved him.)

Sina, being the last one to come into this world, did not have any duties. So what did she do?

Play.

And by play, she didn't mean connecting beads on a string and making jewellery, or playing house with dolls given to her by the loving citizens. By play, she meant developing callouses on her hands while training on how to use swords, getting her knees all rough and bloody from the constant falls during her adventures. She would swing from tree to tree at flying speeds, racing with wild animals. She was wild herself.

She was viewed with distaste by practically everyone outside the palace. While her older siblings were the epitome of what royalty was, she was just a wild animal that had escaped from the zoo. Perhaps that was the reason she found nature to be her solace, and the animals that lived there her friends.

(And she was serious too. The animals were her best friends. She was able to understand them, and she was able to communicate freely with them, letting them know of any troubles or concerns she had. They always made her feel better.)

Her father and mother hadn't minded much. Everything had been taken care of, and their daughter was happy. They were very understanding of her, and she was so thankful for that. Arlan and Hans loved her all too much, spoiling her every chance they got. Her sister was no different from the lot of them all. She loved to dress her up in frilly clothes with skirts that puffed out way too much. How was she supposed to run in the forest without ruining that shit?

She was such a tomboy, honestly.

Her language was filthy, to say the least. No one in the palace dared speak that way and yet here she was, using such colourful words. Where had she learned it from again?

Oh right, she had snuck out of the palace more times than she can count. If it wasn't the forests outside Wall Sina, it would be the districts. From booming marketplaces to alleys creeping with all kinds of dangerous people, she'd been there and survived. And that was probably where she learned all kinds of insults from.

Each time she escaped to town, she disguised herself as a young boy to not bring attention to herself. She was royalty for goodness sakes. People recognized her, even if she wasn't respected for being a princess.

This was Sina, the wild princess.

* * *

A/N: Thank you for reading! This was just an introduction to give you an idea of what my OC is like. The next chapter is where the story begins!


	2. Something New

2\. Something New

* * *

It was boring. Her life. She had long grown tired of sparring with the palace soldiers, with her overprotective brothers who went way too easy on her. Hans was an excellent fighter, she knew. After all, she did take up the sword after watching one of his notorious tournaments. She had been thoroughly inspired and had asked him to tutor her right away. He taught her the basics, which she practised over and over again until she could do them in her sleep. He refused to teach her anything after that for some reason, so she opted out with spying on his little sparring sessions. He never did find out.

She was lying down on the plains, watching the clouds float by in the sky. Beside her, the horse grazed on the grass tranquilly.

"I'm bored."

The horse neighed.

"I know I say this, like, every day but I mean it today."

He neighed again, in that "Yeah yeah" manner.

"I mean it today more than I meant it yesterday."

The horse seemed to sigh before pushing his head against her shoulder roughly. She understood what that meant. That meant "Shut the fuck up. I'm trying to have some peace right now and you're ruining it."

"Fine, but I need something to do. I can't just let my life waste away here. Everyone else is doing something productive but I'm just here looking at clouds."

Just then a few boys, probably a few years younger than she was, ran past. She started. "Is that excitement I sense in their steps?"

Horsey (yes that was his name) whined.

"Hey guys!" she had quickly caught up to them, running in front to stop them. Her recklessness nearly caused them to collapse but she dodged in time so all's good.

Not for these guys though.

"What was that for, punk?"

 _Punk? Why are they calling me- oh yeah, dressed up as a male right now. And I guess a 19 year old woman translates to a scrawny little 15 year old boy or something._

(It really didn't take much to hide her small chest.)

"I just wanted to know where you guys were heading."

"Didn't you hear? He's here!"

"Who's he?"

"Corporal Levi, that's who!"

She took a few seconds to process that information, but her mind still ran a blank.

"Who's that?"

"You don't know? He's humanity's strongest soldier!"

 _Yeah right, I bet_ I'm _stronger._

"Oh…really now. And what is this knight in shining armour doing in the inner walls?"

"Recruiting apparently. That's why we're all headed there now. Man, we've been waiting for an opportunity like this forever!"

"Recruiting...? What happens to those who get recruited?"

"Just how clueless are you?" the boy sighed.

"Forget it, let's just go," another boy said. "We can't waste time here."

"You're right. This scrawny kid probably doesn't even stand a chance to pass the tests. It'd just be a waste of time to explain everything."

They left as she stood there pondering over her next course of action. It wasn't as though she hadn't heard their insults. She just didn't have the capacity to care anymore. That was nothing compared to what she had heard the citizens whisper about _Princess Sina_. Those people have wild imaginations. Yes, she was probably a little (very) insane for a princess. Yes, she did eat nonstop (she needed her energy for training somehow). And yes, she does prefer swords over flowers. However, where the hell did they get the idea that she was a whore who played around with men while her family members worked their royal butts off?

No, she played with _swords_ while her family members worked their royal butts off. There was a difference.

God.


	3. A Test

3\. A Test

* * *

 _My impulsive actions though, seriously._

That was what brought Sina standing in front of this short ass midget (she inwardly snickered at how he was looking _up_ at her) who was currently glaring his eyes off at her, or maybe at her strange taste in clothing. After all, she had just thrown on some dirty rags that she had found lying around somewhere.

 _Dude, blink or something. You need it._

"So…what do I…have to do?" she asked him with uncertainty.

"You run in here late without an application and demand to speak with a superior," he started, voice low and controlled.

Then the bubble bursted.

"20 laps, now."

Behind him, the older man spoke. "Levi, we're not at home right now. There's no track here."

The short man, Levi, clucked his tongue with distaste. "Fine, drop and give me 50."

Sina tilted her head to the side, eyes wide and clueless. _50…50 dollars? Ohhhh, he wants me to pay him so I can enlist, of course!_ She poked around in her pocket for the extra money she always carried around.

"Uh…one sec. Oh wait…Levi…was it?" His eye twitched at the familiarity of her tone. "What am I supposed to drop first before I give you the 50 dollars?"

He apparently was not impressed by the money. The man behind him stepped up, lightly pushing Levi back.

"We just want to test your abilities, that's all. We don't need your money."

She hesitantly put her money back. "So what do you want me to do?"

"The test is already over and all the examiners have already packed up. We can't do any of the standard tests, so this might sound a little-"

"Fight me," Levi interrupted.

The other man quickly followed up. "Of course, if you don't want to, that's fine. He _is_ humanity's strong-"

"Sure thing," she shrugged.

"What-"

"The brat needs to be taught his lesson. If I win, forget about joining."

"But if _I_ win…"

"You get accepted," the older man sighed regretfully, hand holding his head as if a headache was coming. "Don't kill him. He's still a young child."

"Don't worry. I'll just leave a few…scars here and there."

And he did.

That didn't mean she didn't hold her own though. Obviously he was holding back. She was "just a brat" to him after all so he wouldn't waste the effort of going all out. Although she still took a few good hits on her arms and stomach, she managed to take him by surprise with her flexibility and fast reaction time. It wasn't enough to catch up to him but he seemed genuinely impressed when she dodged most of his attacks.

"Not bad," he smirked, barely out of breath.

Sina on the other hand was a mess. "Thanks," she somehow huffed out, holding her bruised arm protectively.

Sometime during the spar, her hat had fallen off and her hair had pulled loose from the clips securing it. Now, strands of hair splayed out over her shoulders and Levi sighed irritatedly at her appearance.

"Fix yourself. Your long hair will only be a hindrance."

She's never really had a problem with her hair since she always tied it up. And of all the spars and encounters she's had, Sina's never been pushed this hard, but based on her spar with Levi just now, a hair cut seemed like an excellent idea.

"I'll cut it, but this means I passed, right?" Her eyes brightened hopefully. He grimaced at the expression. _Wow, how nice._ She took his lack of response as a "yes" anyway and glanced around for something to chop her hair off. Seeing the dagger lying behind him, she smiled. _That will do._ As she made her way over to the weapon, she loosened the clips holding up her hair.

For a second, Levi's eyes widened a fraction. "You…" he started.

"What?" she acknowledged as she passed him, not caring to stop.

His hand darted out so fast she barely had time to react. He grabbed her wrist and twirled her around so they were facing each other.

"You…" Then he looked at the slim wrist he held in his grip. "You're a girl."

Well that was fast.


	4. Suitable Haircuts

4\. Suitable Haircuts

* * *

"Uh…does it matter?" she defended. Honestly, it wasn't too big of a deal if he found out she was a girl. What mattered was if he found out she was a princess…now that would be a problem.

He searched her eyes, probably looking for any signs of weakness.

The next second, any inch of concern or curiosity he had in her was gone. She didn't really see the point in having any concern in the first place. Weren't there a bunch of girls in the army anyway? Seeing a girl enlist these days was no big deal.

"Do what you want." His tone was cold as he released his grip. She glanced down.

 _Great._ A bruise on her arm, probably a bruise on her stomach, a few open wounds from falling on the ground so often, and now she had a pink hand mark around her wrist, nail marks indented into the skin thanks to yours truly.

She secretly made an oath to pay him back for that but shrugged it off for now. Revenge would come later. She continued walking, paying him no mind as she went to grab the dagger. _Here goes nothing._

* * *

Maybe it was because this was her first time cutting hair, or maybe it was because a dagger wasn't the perfect tool for haircuts, but it turned out horrible. Her hair was uneven, jagged, and just very unsightly overall.

Levi clucked his tongue in the background. She hadn't realized he was still in the parameter until he spoke up. "That's a haircut suitable for a piece of shit like you."

She was about to mumble a sarcastic "gee, thanks" when he continued.

"But no piece of shit should walk around like that in the military. Get your ass over here. I'll fix you."

 _He'll fix me_ , he says. She scoffs at his crude way of offering help but approaches him anyway. When she is standing in front of him, she sees his expression darken by the second. Without a warning, she is suddenly pushed down and forced to sit.

It is not until she feels his hands combing through her hair does she realize the source of his frustration: her hair was a mess. Knots and tangles from the wind (she winced as he forcefully detangled them), sand and mud from being knocked onto the ground, combined with her terrible excuse of a haircut…her hair was a real disaster at the moment.

"When was the last time you washed this?" he demands.

"Uh…last night?"

"Sure doesn't seem like it."

Well, she had been climbing trees and rolling around on the grass today. Oh, did she say that out loud?

She risked a peek at the look on the corporal's face, but before she could turn all the way his hand had shot out to steer her head back into place. "Don't you dare fucking move."

She stayed frozen until he was done. Surprisingly, he was quite gentle (or as gentle as one could be with hair as tangled as hers). When he gave a final flick to the tips of her hair and nudged her back to stand up, she mumbled a thanks. Reaching her hands, she felt the tips to see how long her new hairstyle was. Compared to her waist length hair before, it was now much shorter and ended slightly above her shoulders. Frankly, this style suited her tomboyish side more. She could feel the breeze on the back of her neck and it was definitely much lighter. However, another side felt a little sad to let go of her long hair.

He seemed to be admiring his work as well. After another moment of critiquing, he gave a firm nod. "We'll be leaving at 06:00 tomorrow morning. Pack light and meet here," he said with another expressionless face. He took out a handkerchief and thoroughly wiped his hands. (She didn't blame him -her hair _was_ nasty!) When he was done, he looked up to stare at her.

His eyes were intimidating and she had to swallow before speaking up. "Yes?"

"Your name?"

"Oh, uh…Si…Sira." It wouldn't be a good idea to reveal her identity as Princess Sina just yet. A placeholder would do for now.

He eyed her suspiciously when she stuttered, but nodded and began to walk away. "I'm sure you've already heard my name, though it's _Corporal_ Levi to you."

She nodded awkwardly, tested the name and title on her lips, and watched as he disappeared out of sight.


	5. Thwarted Plans

5\. Thwarted Plans

* * *

When she returned to the castle, the first thing she did was head to her private washroom for a shower. When she had gotten old enough, she had requested to at least bathe by herself. Having maids stay in the washroom, prepare her bathwater, and even wash her were just overkill in her opinion.

As she undressed, she noticed the bruises and scrapes all over again. It was even uglier now that she could see what was previously hidden by her shirt. She held it in when the water stung her open wounds (she was used to getting them from falling all over the forest anyway).

After washing up, she reached for her first aid kit which she conveniently kept in her washroom drawer. She was quite good at dressing her own wounds from years of experience. Since she always made sure to wear clothes that covered her self proclaimed battle scars, no one in the palace ever questioned anything.

Dressed in baggy shorts that reached slightly below her knees (one of Arlan's hand-me-downs) and a thin long sleeve shirt (Hans' hand-me-down), she ran her hand through her short locks before skipping down the hall to the meeting room where she knew her parents would be.

Giving a nod to the guards by the door, who raised their eyebrows at her new hairstyle but bowed nonetheless, she opened the door without knocking. "Mom! Dad!"

"Hey sweetie," her mother looked up from the documents she was reading but then dropped them the next second.

"Listen, I have something very import-," she started, expression firm and serious.

"Your hair! You cut it!" her mother exclaimed, rushing to her side. "Why the sudden change?"

"I cut it so it'd be more convenient. Right, so back to what I was saying…"

Seeing Sina's determined face, the queen and king quieted down to listen.

"I…met a corporal from the military today."

"Oh, who?" her mother seemed genuinely interested. After all, her daughter was getting to that age soon. It wouldn't be a surprise if she found someone she was interested in.

"It's not like that," Sina quickly retorted. "I am not interested in _him_. I'm interested in his profession."

"So you're dating him for his career?" her father questioned, thoroughly confused as to his daughter's mindset.

"No! I'm not dating him at all! I want to enter the military!" Well that was smooth.

"Absolutely not!" her father suddenly boomed.

"What? Why not?"

"Be reasonable, Sina. Military work is dangerous, no matter which division you're working in. A princess should not endanger herself like that," her mother chided calmly. The king on the other hand was beet red in the face and positively fuming.

"Sina, we have given you everything you have ever wanted, but you have to understand that we cannot let you join the military," her father rasped. "We keep you here to protect you."

"Please understand," her mother pleaded.

Sina didn't know how to react. She thought for sure that as long as she told the truth like she always had, then they would grant her wish. In the past, whether it was a new sword, a new pair of running shoes, or even to keep a stray cat, she had been given it all. This was the first time her parents had raised their voice at her.

So with her plan in shambles, she quietly turned toward the door.

"Sina," her mother called.

She stopped to look at her. "Yes?"

"Come down for dinner later?" The queen looked extremely concerned. Not wanting to worry her further, Sina tried her best to smile and nod.

"I will. Thanks mom, dad."

Her parents watched as she left the audience chamber.

Just as she closed the door and was about to walk ahead, she bumped into something hard…much harder than her head would have liked. "Ow, sorry!" she winced, rubbing her forehead where the point of contact was.

"Where were you looking?"

She could recognize that voice from anywhere.


	6. How Old?

6\. How old? 

* * *

"Le-" He raised an eyebrow expectantly. "Corporal Levi! What brings you here?"

"I could say the same to you. What business do you have with the King?"

"I…I work here."

"And you meet the King and Queen in person? How impressive."

It _would_ be impressive. Many workers here were employed by representatives that the Crown trusted, so they never really got to meet the royal couple in person. If Levi wasn't suspicious before, he must really be now.

"And that's hardly work attire."

"I…report directly to them. I was just finishing my duties for the day. Now, if you'll excuse me…" Sina didn't know if the hole she had dug for herself earlier had gotten even deeper with these new lies, and she didn't want to find out. She quickly side stepped him, running down the hall and out of sight to avoid any further conversation.

When she heard the door to the chamber open and close, she peeked her head out from the wall she had hidden behind. Why the hell was Levi in the palace anyway? Curious, she tiptoed quietly and pressed her ear against the door.

Nothing.

But she wasn't an adventurous princess for nothing. She knew the ins and outs of the castle. A few hallways later and she found herself at a secret entrance to the chamber that only the highest ranking maids and servants knew about (aside from her parents themselves).

She silently slid open the secret door slightly to hear what was going on. It appeared they were almost done their conversation.

"…for your assistance," Levi said smoothly. "We really needed the extra funding at the base."

"It's no problem, really. I like everything nice and clean myself, but it certainly isn't cheap to keep it tidy!"

"I assure you, your majesty, that cleaning products are not the only things we invest in. That may be the only thing _I_ spend my share of the budget on, but we do have someone specialized in titan research. Her profession calls for a large funding."

"Ah, yes. I remember her. She was the representative who came last time…quite the woman she is," the Queen smiled hesitantly.

"She would go on and on about her research, and much of the conversation soon became…more than what we could handle," the King spoke slowly, as if trying to find the right words to use.

"That would explain why they called me to come this time," Levi sighed. What else had he expected from Hanji? The maniac must have gotten too detailed and gory in her stories. "I apologize on behalf of my fellow soldier. She tends to get out of hand sometimes." _Or always._

"Oh, what a great gentleman you are! Say, how old are you now, Corporal?"

He looked up. Sina's ears suddenly perked up too. She was actually very curious as to how old this cranky shorty was.

"I turn—" something clanged loudly against the floor as it fell, "—this year." It had been a guard somewhere down the hall she came from.

Damn guard.

"The perfect time to get married, then! Have you considered it?" the King asked heartily.

"No, your majesty. It has not crossed my mind at all."

"Why, how great it would be then to marry my daughter! You must have heard about my dear Rose, have you not?"

If Sina could see what was going on, she would see Levi's eye twitch in irritation. "I've heard many great stories about her, but as wonderful as she sounds, I'm afraid we just aren't compatible."

The King sat back in his chair, thoughtfully running his hand through his hair. "No? What a shame; she really is such a sweetheart. I would suggest marrying Sina, but she is not really the type to be tied down. Given that she was born last, we all must have spoiled her too much. As a result, she's honed herself to be more of a wild prince than a princess." At this point, he was rambling more to himself than to Levi. For all he knew, the corporal could have cared less about his second daughter.

But it was the opposite.

"A wild prince, your majesty?"

"She'd much rather dress in pants, play in the stables, or wield swords around with her brothers, you see. Her sister always tries to convince her to dress up, but she dashes away as fast as lightning every time! Rose always attended parties because it gave her an excuse to dress more extravagantly but Sina merely attended parties to eat to her heart's content. Such a large contrast!"

There was a smile to his tone that made her heart skip a beat as Levi spoke.

"I, on the other hand, would much rather marry Princess Sina."

"Explain," her mother chimed in, interested at the potential gossip this would give her.

"She sounds interesting. It would be my honour to meet her one day."

Her mother beamed. Maybe having her very own "Prince Charming" could get her daughter off her wild spree and behave like a real princess. "And you shall! You are staying for dinner tonight, yes? I will have her dress nicely for you."

"Your majesty, please don't force her-"

"Nonsense! She _will_ wear a dress!"


	7. Plan B

7\. Plan B

* * *

"I will _not_ wear that dress."

"Come on, Princess! You're meeting _the_ Corporal Levi Ackerman! He's like, the hottest hunk ever!" her maid chatted endlessly. "He's humanity's strongest soldier! It'd be such an honour to be within a 3 metre radius of his presence!"

"You're treating him like a god or something."

"I'm sure he is! Now come on, I have to take everything off!" The maid began to pull at her clothes.

Sina was suddenly reminded of her wounds. "N-no! I can do it myself!"

The maid blinked at her before nodding. "I understand. Princess likes her privacy, is that right? I promise I won't peek!" She stepped out of her room. "I'll be waiting here! Let me know if you need help!" When she finally closed the door, Sina sighed out of relief. That had been a close call. If the maid had seen the injuries, she would definitely have reported them to her parents. Then she really would be forbidden from joining the army.

She hadn't given up. Her years of sneaking around and adventurous exploring had trained her to be witty and open-minded. She wouldn't be beat that easily. All she needed was another gateway. What if she could leave Wall Sina for a different reason, one that was perfectly in line with her parents' wish?

"Princess, please hurry up! Your family and Corporal Levi are waiting for you right now!"

Her eyebrow noticeably twitched at the reminder that not only her family but also that damn midget will see her in a dress. "Oh my god, I get it already," she yelled so her maid could hear from the other side of the door.

Already accustomed to the princess' temper tantrums while being forced to do anything princess-y, she giggled. "Yes, oh _your_ god, princess! If you play your cards right, the corporal will be yours!"

 _If I play my cards right…_ That was when she came up with an idea. He's bound to be opposed to it, and there may be bloodshed later, but if it could get her out of these walls and into the military training camp, then she'd take it.

With that in mind, she gave one last disgusted look at the dress (no offence to her sister though, since it was her hand-me-down) before putting it on.

She might have hurled a little at the sight of herself in the mirror.

* * *

"Would you like some wine, Corporal?"

"No, thank you," he refused kindly before focusing his attention on the other people at the dining room with him. They were sitting in a smaller version of the stereotypical long dining table. Hans and Alan were sitting on his right while the King and Queen sat on opposite ends. Across from Alan sat Rose, who had an empty chair beside her.

"Let's eat first. Sina hasn't worn a dress or a pair of heels in a while, so it may take her some time to get down the hall," Alan chuckled.

"If you listen closely, you can hear her tripping her way down here." Hans meant it as a joke, but when they listened closely, they really could hear the sound of someone falling repeatedly. He sighed. That was his baby sister alright, the epitome of all things not-girly.

When she finally made her entrance, it was not the ethereal and mystical entrance she was looking for. She was exhausted, probably bruised (not only from the match with Levi earlier but also from all the tripping and falling while walking in her heels), and messy. "Sup- I mean, good evening," she coughed out.

She glanced at Levi, expecting him to be shocked out of his pants (after all, the guy he sparred with who turned out to be a girl also turned out to be a princess), but he remained calm and collected.

"You cut your hair!" Hans pointed out.

She gave him a "no shit" face.

If Hans noticed, he ignored it. "I haven't seen you dressed like a girl in ages! Come here, you adorable sister of mine!"

"No," she deadpanned, swiftly stepping out of his grasp.

Hans sulked a little but perked right back up. He was used to her constant rejections anyway.

"Come sit," Alan invited. "Sorry, but we've already started eating. We didn't know you would take so long with your preparations."

It took longer for her to get here than it took for her to prepare (all she had to do was mentally prepare herself and then throw the darn thing on), but she kept her mouth shut about that.

Before the servant could even reach it, Sina had already pulled her chair out. As she sat down, Rose giggled softly and reached out to straighten her dress. "You look adorable with short hair."

Sina smiled at her sister, thanking her.

"Sina, I want you to meet Corporal Levi Ackerman," the Queen formally introduced.

Oh right, plan comes first, food comes later.

"Yes, I know mother. I met him earlier." She refused to look at Levi's face right now. "You remember the corporal I told you about before?"

"Oh my, is it...?"

"Yep! To be honest, I actually fell in love with him!"

The three young men choked on the food they were eating.

"I didn't know how to tell you, so I thought it would be best to tell you that I wanted to join the military instead. Imagine my surprise when I see him at the dinner table this evening!"

"This is lovely, sweetie! The corporal wants to marry you too!" the King cheered.

Once again, the sounds of choking could be heard.

"I definitely approve of this. Mutual love is something to be cherished and I don't want to tear you two apart."

"Does that mean I can live with Levi?"

The three men sitting on the side of the table struggled to cease their coughing as servants rushed to give them more water.

"Well, as long as you don't join the military, then there should be no problem. After all, who else could protect you better than Humanity's Strongest?"

 _I can protect myself, thank you very much_. "I'm sure he will," Sina tried her best to smile genuinely.

"I am so happy for you, Sina!" Rose gushed, hugging her sister tightly. "And here I worried you would never find a prince for yourself!"

"You're choking me, sis!" Nonetheless, she hugged her back.

Dinner continued on with Sina happily chewing her food while Hans, Arlan, and Levi nibbled in silence. The whole time, the King and Queen cheerfully chatted about their daughter's engagement.

"Princess Sina," Levi called as they stood up. The King and Queen had excused themselves earlier to go back to work but promised they would continue discussing Sina's engagement at a later time. She just brushed it off and said there was no rush to get any paperwork done. Rose had left after she had finished eating too. With just her brothers and Levi left, the room suddenly got that much more awkward.

"Yes?" she asked. Having avoided eye contact ever since she had entered the room, she never realized just how uncomfortable all of this was. After all, she had basically forced him to marry her for her own benefit.

"I need to speak with you," he motioned his head towards the balcony. "Outside."

"Alrighty then," she sighed. This was not gonna be good.


	8. Unwavering Eyes

8\. Unwavering eyes

* * *

"So, _Sira_ ," he started bitterly.

"Whoa there, Corporal! I am still technically a princess." She put her hand on her chest as if she was offended by his lack of respect. "Just kidding. I know, I forced you. I'm sorry, but I just want- no, _need_ a reason to leave this place!"

"And you chose to burden me to satisfy this so-called _need_ of yours?"

"Hey! It was _you_ who recruited me!"

"I didn't know you were a fucking princess! What kind of princess dresses up as a boy and passes a military recruit test anyway?"

As if she was suddenly reminded of her success, she smirked. "I _did_ pass, didn't I?"

Levi sighed, clearly irritated but unable to release his frustration on her…at least not on royal grounds. On the training field though, that's a different story. Even though she hadn't gone through any training in the military, she had already shown she was more than capable of defending herself. With 3DMG training, she was bound to become a wonderful soldier on the front lines. Sina had potential, whether the King and Queen liked it or not, but he was not about to get his ass kicked trying to convince them to let her join the battlefield.

"I very desperately want to have a divorce with you right now," he muttered darkly.

"Silly corporal! We aren't even married yet," she mocked in an overly sweet voice. Then, more seriously, "Bring me along. I'll tell them I won't join the military, but they won't find out if I do. If anything happens, just tell them I snuck out or something. It's happened here before; it won't be surprising if it were to happen elsewhere."

"Your parents expect me to protect you. If anything happens, it's my fault. I refuse to be responsible for consequences of your stupid actions."

"I'll convince them otherwise, okay? I'm sick of it here, and the people here are sick of me. I _need_ to leave."

She was strong; he admitted that much. It wasn't just her fighting from earlier but also her attitude. After all, her hopes of escaping lied with him alone at this moment yet there were no signs of pleading from her.

When he saw her coming out of the audience chamber, he knew something was up right away. And when the King and Queen talked about Princess Sina, everything just clicked.

He really wasn't thinking about anything when he said he would rather marry her than her older sister. It was not a proposal -that he was sure of. More than anything, he was frustrated. Why was the older princess the one that everyone adored? Sina was perfectly fine the way she was.

He wasn't deaf. He's heard of the countless rumours circulating amongst the townsfolk regarding the princess. While all the other children of the crown had specific responsibilities, Sina was born last and had none. Part of it may have been the King and Queen's fault for letting her run wild, but part of it was based off of Sina's peculiar behaviour as well.

She was rumoured to talk to animals. (Levi called bullshit on that one, but everyone else seemed to believe it just fine.)

He had heard from the King that as protective measure against any crazy townsfolk who decide to take their hatred too far, Hans and Arlan taught Sina self-defence. That quickly escalated into full combat lessons when Sina began to take an interest in battle. Rose was no longer able to convince Sina to wear dresses, as they only got in the way of her new active lifestyle.

At this point, Levi and Sina were just staring at each other. From his position, he could see just how out of place she was in this castle. Somehow, the dress just didn't fit right on her physique. Her hair, though he knew it was partially his fault she had to cut it, was not styled or even groomed. Her expression was grim and firm, a huge contrast to her sister's tranquil and docile one. And if he pulled her sleeves and hem up, he was sure he would find gauze wrapped around her arms and legs.

Out of curiosity, he lifted her arm sleeve up. Surprisingly, she didn't resist. He saw the gauze, which he had expected, but what he hadn't expected was for them to be wrapped so perfectly.

He doubted she told anyone about her injuries. "Who dressed them?" he asked.

"I did them myself." When he met her eyes again, she continued. "I can take care of myself, Levi, maybe even others. Outside Wall Sina, I can be useful."

Her eyes never wavered. Perhaps that was why he decided to accept the engagement.


	9. Respective Roles

9\. Respective Roles

* * *

It was tradition for the Scouting Legion representative to dine and sleep overnight at the palace before leaving the next morning. Usually after the dinner, there would be no more business to discuss and the representative would be allowed to retire for the night. So it came as a surprise to Levi when he heard a knock at the door of his guest room.

"Who is it?" he called, walking towards the source.

"It's Arlan. Do you mind if I come in?"

He quickly opened the door to let the prince in. He originally left the door open thinking it'd just be a brief greeting, but when the prince closed it behind him he knew that this would be no quick message.

"Do you know what you're getting her into?" Arlan questioned right off the bat. "She's gonna get herself killed! What are you going to do about it then?"

It was uncomfortable for Levi to be the one on the receiving end of the interrogation, but he kept his calm. "We're simply living together. There's no problem with that."

"You can't lie to me. I know Sina. The last thing she'd think about is romance. I'm more convinced she's marrying you to join the military."

Spot on.

The prince continued. "I know about your background. You were living in the underground doing who knows what before your commander recruited you. You're not just the hero everyone proclaims you to be, Ackerman."

He should have expected this to happen when Sina so proudly declared "her love" for him. He only hoped he wouldn't have to deal with the other overprotective brother as well. Sighing, Levi poured himself some tea and took a drink. This was gonna be a long night.

"You think you're worthy of Sina? She may be the least refined of us all, but she is still a princess. She's not a wild animal like you."

He had to smirk at that. Looking at it now, it seemed to him that Sina was the more wild one.

"You're right about one thing - I _am_ from the underground. I stole and killed so I could survive. That was just the kind of place it was."

Arlan was taken aback. Why was Levi explaining this to him now? It was only proving his point all the more.

"When I started life here, what did you think I did?"

When it didn't seem like Levi would continue, Arlan spoke. "You slayed titans."

"That's right. I killed some more. I escaped from one hell just to be trapped in another. However, there is a slight difference."

"And what is that?" the prince narrowed his eyes.

Levi's eyes pierced right through him. "Here, I kill not only to survive, but to ensure the survival of you lot. That's my current role. You, the second prince, the first princess, the King, and the Queen all have your own roles to play, but what about Sina?" He didn't care about calling her "Princess" right now. Arlan seemed offended that he had referred to her so disrespectfully, but Sina was no longer a princess in his eyes. She was a respectable soldier, one that humanity needed.

Levi walked towards the desk and sat down. "You strip her of her role and leave her to fend for herself in this society. No wonder the townspeople talk shit about her."

Arlan was furious. "Shut your mouth this instant, you imbecile! How dare you belittle my sister?"

Seeing that his plan was working, Levi smirked. "Without a role, wouldn't she be the same as a useless bum in the underground? Fighting for her survival is all she's good for anyway."

"You…" He was seething.

"So let her fulfill her role. Just let the kid do what she fucking wants," he finished off, spinning his chair around. It was a habit he had adopted when talking to his underlings, an indication of sorts that the conversation was over - but this was no underling he was speaking to. Sighing, he spun his chair back around. Arlan was still standing there, shocked. Feeling slightly uncomfortable, Levi decided to add, "If you're her brother, you'd do what makes her happy."

Arlan knew how stubborn Sina could be once she set her mind on something. He knew, so he tried to convince the corporal instead. He could tell instantly that Levi didn't want to marry her during the dinner and when he called her out, he felt relieved. ( _Finally, someone to talk some sense into her!_ )

But when she comes back, looking like Santa just delivered their gifts months early, he knew that things were not gonna be pretty. It should have been easy to convince Levi to turn down the engagement. After all, who wants to take care of a spoiled princess? It was completely unexpected on his part when Levi wholeheartedly defended Sina.

The corporal had really struck a chord though. All his life, he had been babying his sister. When she wanted to get stronger, he obliged and taught her everything he knew. He should have expected her to yearn for more action, action that only existed outside these walls.

Defeated, the prince turned around to leave.


	10. Unexpected Intervention

10\. Unexpected Intervention

* * *

"Sina!" Hans barged in -without knocking.

"Hm?" She had been taking off her dress right at that moment, and was so happy to finally get out of the torture device formally known as "the heels", so she didn't mind too much that her brother had almost seen her naked.

"Lock your door, Sina! What if it hadn't been me? What if it had been that Ackerman dude instead?" He closed the door behind him, locking it firmly.

"Well you could have knocked." Thinking of "that Ackerman dude" got her all giddy again. With his help -both from the recruitment and from the engagement- she would finally be able to leave the walls and explore new places! If she was lucky, she might even be able to venture outside in titan territory!

Seeing Sina so happy, Hans almost regretted what he was about to do. Right as she was done changing into her regular clothes, he ambushed her. Since this wasn't anything new, Sina just laughed it off and threw her usual punches at him. They always led to him running and crying from the pain.

This time was different. He caught her wrist. "What?" Sina gasped when he twisted it.

"Ow! What the fuck, Hans?"

His usual easygoing attitude was gone and replaced with something colder, darker. "You can't even defend yourself from that. How do you expect to survive outside?"

Clutching at her wrist in pain, she fought hard to keep the tears away. More than the pain, it was the confusion of the situation that was causing her tears. "You _jumped_ me! I would be able to defend myself if I knew it was coming!"

He squeezed the wrist he had just injured. "Shit! Stop, Hans!"

"It won't be that easy outside."

She didn't know what was going on. Ever since her brothers had finished their training sessions with her, she had always been stronger than Hans. Arlan was a different story, but she always won her spars against the younger prince. Not once had he ever inflicted any injury on her.

"Okay, I get it! Now can you please get the fuck off and stop hurting me?" she yelled.

"Will you stay here then?"

"What- no! Just get off!"

"Then no, I'm not getting up." He grabbed both wrists and she hissed. "If I break both of them, you'll be useless out there. He'll have no use for a crippled brat."

"No!" she screamed, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed. She didn't like this. Where had the kind and goofy Hans gone? This wasn't him. She was crying, but it was because she was scared. Her wrists could get better with the right treatment, but the trauma would never go away.

She didn't know what was going on. Her vision was blurry from the tears and she felt herself suffocating. He wasn't choking her, was he? No, he was still holding her wrists. There was banging at the door, but she could barely hear it. Her sobs turned into exasperated gasps. She could see Hans' mouth moving, probably calling her name, but none of the sounds made sense anymore. He let go of her wrists, and she tried to move them to her throat, but only one moved. Black spots started clouding her sight.

She blacked out just as the door bursted open.


	11. Well Shit

11\. Well shit

* * *

When she came to, she found herself lying on her bed. She tried to get up, but a sharp pain shot from her right wrist -the hand she had been relying on to get her up.

"Shit," she hissed.

"Shit," someone repeated from beside her. She turned to look at the copycat. Levi.

"Help a homie out and get me up?" she tried to smile.

"No."

Any attempt of a smile immediately dropped into a scowl.

"Fuck you too, bastard."

"What lovely words coming from a princess," he scoffed. However, his hand was warm as his fingers brushed across her cheeks.

She blinked at him, clearly uncomfortable at the physical contact, but at the same time, it felt somewhat familiar. Not knowing what to say, she chose to ignore it.

"I feel like shit, so I can curse all I want." She placed the back of her left hand on her forehead to calm herself.

Turning her head to see what was going on with her wrist, she saw that it was being held in a splint. Eyeing it awkwardly, she tried to recollect what happened. When it hit, she instantly shivered. He definitely noticed.

"Your obsessive brother twisted it. Luckily, it wasn't too serious."

" _This_ isn't serious? What do I do if I can't use my dominant hand?" Sina exclaimed. "God, Hans got what he wanted. Now I'm just a useless brat."

Levi narrowed his eyes at her. "Are you leaving with me or what?"

"Of course I want to!"

"Then just come with me. Your wrist will get better. As long as you're not slacking off in the meantime, you won't be useless. Now get the fuck up and pack already." With that said, he stood up and turned to leave. It was then she noticed how tired he really looked. Had he been sitting here the entire time?

A moment later, the maid from the previous night skipped in all giddy and excited. "I'm here to help you pack for your _honeymoon_!"

"I'm _not_ married yet!"

"Yet," she repeated, a canny smile playing on her lips.

Oh _great._ Her maid was going to demand a verbal essay from her.

* * *

"She's awake now," Levi announced.

"That's…good."

Hans sat nervously on the couch in the guest room Levi had been assigned. Unfortunately, he hadn't been given the chance to sleep in the bed since he had been by Sina's side the whole night.

"Don't you want to see her?"

"I don't think she wants to see me. I scared her quite a bit yesterday," he laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head.

"That's an understatement," Arlan muttered, clearly mad at what his brother had done. "I won't ask what you were thinking, because I can understand. However, there's a difference between thinking it and doing it, and that's where you crossed the line."

"I know," Hans replied solemnly, eyes lowered.

"Just be glad I didn't tell mother and father the truth. They just think she fell."

"You should have told them. Now I just feel extra guilty."

"You should," Levi spat. "You better make everything right before we leave. Our departure has already been postponed enough. I don't need you postponing it any longer with your dallying."

He was angry. It was true that they were late, but that was not the primary reason he was so irritated right now. Most of his anger was directed toward Hans, but if Levi, who barely held any attachment to Sina, was this angry then he couldn't even imagine how angry Arlan would be.

* * *

Arlan had been the one to break into Sina's room last night, only calling Levi over when the issue had already been resolved. When he entered her room, which he only noticed how messy it really was this morning when she woke up, she had already been placed on her bed. A doctor had been positioned by her side as well. Being the personal doctor to the royal family, he thought he had known everything going on with Sina medically. However, he was surprised to find other injuries littered on her arms. For safe measure, he requested to check for any other injuries and -surprise, surprise- there were more.

After making sure they had all been treated properly, he gave some advice and took his leave.

"I didn't know," Arlan mentioned. "Those injuries…were you the source of any of them?"

Levi knew he had to be honest. "A few."

"Did you know?" That question surprised him. He thought Arlan would have been angry at him for injuring her, but Hans would be the one under the most suspicion right now.

"No. She disguised herself as a boy and requested to join the military, so we put her to the test. I suspect she sustained a few injuries from that, but it shouldn't have been this many."

Arlan nodded in understanding. "She sneaks out sometimes. At first, we were opposed to it. We forbade her from going out, and we even tightened up the security around the palace, but she always managed to escape. Whenever I could, I would follow her. Of those times, she never went anywhere suspicious. She would always come back seemingly unharmed too."

"She knew."

"Somehow. I tried being so careful about it though. It's tough having a sister like her," Arlan smiled bitterly. "I'm going to go check up on Hans. That bastard's probably punching himself in the gut right now. Acker- Levi…"

He looked up at the sound of his name.

Arlan met his eyes. "I'm really sorry about…digging up your past, but I know if it's you, she'll be safe." The prince gave him a small, trusting smile before leaving the room.

Turning to the "sleeping beauty", Levi sighed. "What a troublesome princess," he muttered, taking a seat by the bed.

Her sleeping face was innocent and calm, a large contrast to how she was when she was awake and arguing over every little thing with him. Looking at her like this, he could finally see the princess in her.

She murmured softly in her sleep.

Curious, he leaned in and tilted his head to hear better.

"S-sto…Ha.."

He could figure out the rest.

Throughout the night, he stayed by her side in case she woke up screaming. He wiped any stray tears away with his thumb and made sure she didn't roll over onto her wrist.

He didn't know when he had fallen asleep, but he was genuinely relieved when he heard a soft voice curse.

"Shit."


	12. Departure

12\. Departure

* * *

She stood in her mother's embrace awkwardly but nonetheless returned the gesture with her good hand.

"Stay safe, Sina. Come back and visit any time."

"Write often," her father added.

She smiled warmly. "I will. You guys take care too, okay?"

Rose sniffed prettily, gently dabbing at her wet cheeks with an embroidered handkerchief. "Are you sure you don't need to bring any more dresses with you? I'm sure the corporal would absolutely appreciate-"

"One is more than enough, Rose," Sina smiled, laying a kiss on her sister's cheek.

Arlan came up next, pulling Horsey on a leash behind him. "I'll miss you," he said, concern written all over his face. When they hugged, he spoke quietly so only she could hear. "Don't do anything reckless."

She smirked against his broad, warm chest. "No promises."

When he stepped out of their embrace, he made firm eye contact with Levi. Before she could ask what that was about, they both stepped out.

Since when did her brother and Levi become best buds anyway?

Arlan had left Horsey with her, and while to others afar, it simply looked like a girl petting and cooing at her pet, it was certainly more than that to the two of them. After all, Horsey was her friend who had unfortunately been subjected to her poor naming sense. It was a parting worthy of tears.

"Listen to Arlan while I'm gone, okay?"

A whine.

"Yeah, yeah. I know his breath stinks sometimes, but I'm serious. He'll take good care of you."

The next moment, Hans was in front of her. Her first instinct was to panic but after seeing how down he looked, she tried to keep calm to hear him out.

"I…I'm sorry. I just didn't want you to go…I mean, how ironic would it be for Princess Sina herself to leave Wall Sina, right?"

She could tell he was trying to revert back to the old, funny (lame) Hans she had grown up with. At least she appreciated the effort.

"Yeah, weird huh…"

She wanted to leave, like, now.

"I get it. You don't want me near you. You don't have to force yourself," he started backing up.

"No!" She reached out for his arm, surprising him. "Just…give me some time." She spoke quietly. "Obviously, I don't know if I can forgive you for _this_ ," she gestured to her injured wrist. "But I understand where you're coming from, and for that I thank you. Let's just resort to talking things out first next time, how's that sound?"

Hans seemed shellshocked. He was expecting Sina to slap him, punch him, or do _something_ for revenge.

Mistaking his silence for an opposition, she continued. "And if that doesn't work, then we can spar it out just like the good old days…except you're not as weak as I thought. Maybe make it fair and don't pounce on me like that? I completely had my guard down."

Hans smiled just then and stepped closer. "I promise I'll be fair, so can I get one last hug?"

Glad that things worked out in the end, she let a genuine smile grace her lips and pulled him in with one hand. "This won't be the last."

* * *

They must have been half way there when she finally found the courage to speak up. "So what did you and Arlan talk about behind my back?"

He turned to examine her, as if critiquing whether she was worthy of hearing his answer. "Nothing."

Guess she wasn't worthy after all.

The next time he spoke was when they arrived. He got off the carriage first, but when he didn't sense movement behind him, he turned around and eyed her impatiently. "You coming or not?"

She hadn't hesitated because she was scared. She had hesitated because the landscape was unfamiliar…call it _wary_. She was being _wary_ of her surroundings, that's all. She sure as hell wasn't going to admit any fears to Levi -not that she had any.

"Chill, I'm coming."

"You don't actually think you're getting away with talking to me like that, do you?"

"I'm coming, _sir_."

Levi sighed. It was a start.

Carrying her luggage (which wasn't too heavy thankfully -he had told her to pack light after all), she followed him as they made their way to what she assumed was her new room.

He led her down many hallways before finally settling in front of a door located at the end of a long, desolate hall.

"…Uh…Levi…"

" _Corporal_ ," he corrected.

"Right, sorry. Corporal Levi…is this what I think it is?"

He opened the door - and damn, the thing was creaky as hell. When she finally got a good view of the interior, her jaw dropped. She expected military conditions to be poor, but not _this_ poor!

To be blunt, her room was a rat's den. It was small and had just enough room for a single bed, a wooden desk and chair, and a small drawer by the bed. Upon closer inspection, there was a sliding door perhaps leading to a "closet". She opened the door to check.

Yep. Narrow and scarce of any organization racks, it was just a tiny space behind a door.

Good thing she didn't bring much with her - she wouldn't have room to put any of it anyway!

"This place is filthy as hell." The disgust was oozing from his voice.

That didn't seem like something someone should be saying to the person they're assigning the room to, but she couldn't do anything about it. It _was_ filthy after all, and it wasn't like the blame was on Levi anyway…unless he purposely chose the dirtiest and dustiest room to give her. "Where's the bathroom?"

"Down the hall."

The idea of having to exit the comfort of her room (though she couldn't really call this _comfortable)_ to use the bathroom was new to her. After all, she had her own luxury bathroom back at the palace. "Do I share it with others?"

"You're the only one in this hall," he answered as if it was the most obvious thing.

"Where do the others sleep then?"

"Do you think I'd let you room with them? Your parents told me to protect you so that's what I'm doing. My room is in the next hall over, and this was the closest available room. Any complaints?"

She wanted to point out the whole room as a complaint but fought against it. Zipping her mouth shut, she shook her head.

"Good. Follow me."

He led her to the bathroom (which also needed some mild cleaning) and then to the neighbouring hall where his room was located. "Don't come here unless it's an emergency. Always knock first -and don't even think about coming here when you're all nasty and dirty. I shouldn't have to tell you this."

"What's classified as an 'emergency'?"

"When you're dying."

She gave him an unamused look. "I think I'll just die in my room instead. No need to come all the way here."

In return, he narrowed his eyes. "Don't make me repeat myself. Your parents told-"

"Yeah, yeah. They want you to protect me, I got it. I'll come here if I think my life is in danger. Can I leave now?"

He didn't look happy (when does he ever?) at the interruption, but he let it go. "Go tidy your room and the bathroom for now. Don't strain it though." He gestured to her wrist.

She rolled her eyes. "Aye aye, captain."


	13. Cleaning Duties

13\. Cleaning duties

* * *

Cleaning was not her forte.

Her room was a mess for a reason. While the rest of her family simply left their rooms off to the maids, Sina didn't want them anywhere near her room when she was out. It wasn't so much as an invasion of privacy - she trusted all the maids her family hired. More importantly, it was the used gauze and bloodied tissue littered in her garbage can, or any other evidence that pointed to her misadventures outside the palace, that made her wary.

As a result, special precautions always had to be taken when the maids did enter. For the most part however, they respected her independence. She did her own laundry, tidied up her own room, and took out her own garbage.

That would probably explain why her room was always such a mess - she really was terrible at cleaning - and she could never wear extremely delicate clothing - she would just shred them all while washing them.

So when Levi assigned her this pigsty and an unnecessarily large washroom (for one person at least) to clean, she knew she was done for. Dust covered every visible surface and cobwebs stuck to every corner. There was a mattress but no bed sheet nor blanket. They were stowed away under the bed, undoubtedly in need of a good wash. She didn't have enough time earlier to check the washroom in detail, but she had a feeling it was just as dirty.

Sina regarded her bedroom with pitiful eyes.

"Here goes nothing."

* * *

He was purposely being harsh and he knew it.

Though this treatment was considered normal to an average scout, it was no way to treat a princess. The room he had chosen had not been used in a long time, thus collecting dust and looking like utter trash. However, it was still one of the nicer rooms in the dorm. Most soldiers had to share rooms in big groups, and there was simply no privacy in that. Furthermore, her whole hall was empty and she got a spacious washroom all to herself.

He was doing her a fucking favour for goodness sakes.

Nevertheless, it was a crappy room compared to what she had in her castle so he wouldn't have minded (too much) if she complained just a little. To his surprise, she made no such reaction aside from a little initial confusion. He was impressed. She went from a luxurious royal suite to a room smaller than her bed...how could she not break down?

So to test her limits, he demanded her to clean everything. Initially, he had been planning on helping out too (he wasn't about to leave a filthy room unattended) but he wanted to see how she would react. He expected her to give him a dirty glare or something unpleasant like that, but she simply saluted and skipped away without protest.

He shrugged it off and left for the supply closet, returning with cleaning supplies. While she was working on her own room, he would get started with the washroom. It would be much more efficient if they both cleaned anyway.

He promised her parents that he would take care of her. Yes, the first thing he made her do was work - but he wasn't about to let her clean the _whole_ place up... maybe when her wrist got better. After all, it would be suspicious if he treated her differently from the others. No one else had to know the little deal they made together, and as a given, no one else should know about her real identity either.

Levi would have to find a balance. He couldn't be too nice to her, but he couldn't treat her like utter shit either - who knows if the brat would rat him out to her parents. She didn't seem like the kind of kid to do this sort of thing, but he could never be too safe.

Giving a nod of approval to the now glistening shower stalls, he moved on to the sinks. Excellent progress had been made as he pondered over how to behave around the princess. Cleaning was not only a productive pass time for him, but it also served as a good mechanism to help sort through his thoughts. That, and he needed everything to be absolutely spotless in order to feel comfortable.

It took a good portion of the hour, but he managed to make the bathroom amenities glisten like the decorations in the royal palace - and that was a feat not many could do in the legion's shabby dorm.

"About time to check up on that punk..." he murmured to himself. Considering the size of her bedroom, she should have finished cleaning her room long before he finished the bathroom. However, if she were to get every nook and cranny, then realistically she would probably take an hour longer.

He sighed. Helping out with the washroom was already charitable enough, but he was even considering helping her with her bedroom. She better not expect this generosity every time.

Appearing in front of her door, he considered knocking. Would it be inappropriate to enter without doing so? For one, she was supposed to be tidying up, not changing or doing anything else that required privacy, so theoretically it should be fine. However, she was still a girl (no matter how much her behaviour and appearance told him otherwise) and a princess no less. Seeing that as a more viable argument, he proceeded to lift a hand to rap against the door. However, before his knuckle could make contact with the wood, he heard laughter.

She should have been alone in the room. Had she inhaled too much dust? Was she going crazy from the situation? Silently, he placed an ear against the barrier, convincing himself that he was not eavesdropping - though he was.

"They just don't understand...you know, that you're living too...Haha, really? You must have been so fast!"

Just who was she talking to? Or had she truly gone insane?

Completely forgetting what he told himself earlier about knocking, he pushed open the door.


	14. New Pet

14\. New Pet

* * *

"What the fuck are you doing?"

Sina nearly jumped onto the poor spider she had been chatting with when the grumpy midget threw open the door.

"Levi- err..Corporal! You scared me!"

He was so concerned over her strange behaviour that he missed her slip of tongue.

"I asked you a question. What the _fuck_ are you doing?"

He was glaring harder than usual, with his eyebrows scrunched up and lips thinning into a scowl.

"I was...cleaning?"

"Bullshit, you're not even holding the wash cloth."

When it didn't look like she would reply any time soon, he continued, voice dropping an octave. "Who were you talking to?"

That earned a reaction from her. Her eyes widened, though only slightly, but it was a reaction nonetheless.

"Um..."

He could already tell she would lie before she spoke.

"Myself?"

His eyes narrowed further and she turned her eyes away, a telltale sign of a lie.

"Tell me the truth."

Sina knew from experience that telling people her secret never leads to any good. For one, there were already enough rumours being tossed back and forth in town. Add to that the fact that she could communicate with animals? Everyone just thought she was a lunatic.

The "rumour" about her special skill most likely stemmed from when she was young. At the time, she thought it was normal, that everyone could also talk to animals like she could. So everyday, she would talk to them - the birds that flew onto her window sill, the horses resting in their stables, the guard dogs keeping stand at every entrance, and the stray cat that she begged her parents to keep. Everyone thought she was just playing around, and some even thought it was cute, but as she grew up and stayed that way, people began to look at her strangely.

Levi could see that she was struggling to answer. She appeared to be reflecting, contemplating. The correct thing to do would probably have been to give her some space, as it was very obvious she did not want to answer. But this was Levi, and he would not take no for an answer.

"Spit it out. I won't judge."

That seemed to spark something inside of her - so she was self-conscious, was that it?

"I won't tell anyone. We already have some huge secrets on our hands, what's one more?"

Sina bit her lip. By this age, she had already learned to ignore what others say about her...so just why was she hesitating? Normally, she wouldn't care if others thought ill of her. It surely wasn't an issue of privacy. He could announce her secret out to the whole population for all she cared, yet a part of her absolutely did not want Levi himself to find out.

She glanced up at him warily.

His anger seemed to have subsided, as he was currently adorned in his default expression again. When he noticed her look up, he tilted his head slightly to the side in question. "What? You gonna tell me you talk to animals or something?"

Her eyes bulged out of their sockets.

"W-w-w-what?" she sputtered. "H-h-h-how-"

"So it's true then."

To her astonishment, he wasn't regarding her with distaste nor was he writhing in disgust. He genuinely looked curious.

"Um...yes."

"I see. So who were you talking to?"

Strangely, she felt more comfortable answering his question now that the big secret was out of the bag.

"This spider." She stepped aside to show him the arachnid, who had been waiting patiently on the floor behind her. "I was just about to remove the webs when I heard a small voice..."

Appreciation for the tiny black creature was very clearly present in her tone as she spoke.

"This is Corporal Levi," she quietly introduced in an attempt to be secretive. Unfortunately, he heard. And laughed.

Well it wasn't exactly a laugh - more like a little chuckle that he had let escape. It was a nice, pleasant sound. For a moment, she thought that she had finally broken through his tough shell (not that she had been trying), and that he would let the spider live here. But then...

"Get that shit out of here this instance."

"What?!"

"It's filthy. Get him-"

" _Her_."

" _It._ Get it out."

She was furious. The spider had done nothing wrong to him - why would he kick her out of her home? Then it hit. "Are you afraid of a little spider, Corporal?" she taunted in a mockingly sweet voice.

He looked shellshocked for a moment. "That's absurd. I am not afraid of anything."

"Except spiders. And maybe even worms too?" she pressed on.

"Close that trap or I'll be shoving worms down your throat."

Now that was disgusting. "Ew."

"That's what I thought."

"Corporal, you're missing the point here. Here we have a peaceful spider, living quietly and not at all disturbing anyone - yet you decide to kick her out? That's not right."

"What's not right is your head. I give you orders to clean your room - how much easier can that get? Yet when I come back, the room is still a fucking mess, and you're relaxing in a corner. If you can't follow my orders, then _you're_ the one I'll be kicking out."

She shut up just like that. Her eyes were casted downwards, a shadow falling over her features. For a second, Levi thought he had gone too far. After all, this was the most disheartened he had seen her thus far. But the girl had to learn her place, and for that, he would not be swayed.

"I..I under-"

She suddenly stopped mid-word and turned around, attention focused on the spider who amazingly stood in the same spot as before.

"Oh...are you sure?"

Levi didn't know what to make of it. Apart from Sina's somber voice, he couldn't hear a darn thing. Regardless of whether she truly had the ability to understand animals or not, he couldn't help but feel a little left out...not that he would admit it.

"What is it saying?" he demanded.

She turned back to him, the spark in her eyes slowly igniting again. " _She_ said she would leave. Voluntarily."

"Oh?" He crossed his arms, leaning on the back of the door smugly. "Is it scared of _me_ now?"

" _She_ just didn't want to breathe the same air as you."

He was trying to come up with a witty retort for that, but she continued on before he could retaliate.

"Even if they don't speak the same language, they can still understand humans. They know when they're not welcomed."

God, he must be going soft.

He was blaming it on the fact that she had royal blood, and the fact that she had somehow kept the spider in the same spot for the whole duration of their conversation. However, he blamed the sincerity of her voice the most.

"Fine. You can keep...her."

The excitement bloomed on her face immediately.

"But I better not see her crawling in my room. I will not hesitate to flatten her up."

She grinned. "Don't you mean 'get someone else' to flatten her up?"

"Shut the hell up."


	15. Horsey the Second

15\. Horsey the Second

* * *

It took her another restless hour but her room was finally clean, or as clean as an old crappy dorm could be. Although Levi certainly did not give her a pat on the back for her work, she knew he found it satisfactory by his curt nod. He then waved his hand, a signal to follow him.

"You're familiar with horses." That seemed to have come from nowhere.

"I guess so," she shrugged as she followed him down the hall.

They said nothing more until he led her to a shelter with a very distinct yet familiar odour.

"We'll do a test run. Pick a horse."

She didn't hesitate before diving through the wooden doors and into the stables. To her delight, there were a variety of different mares and stallions, all seemingly content from abundant care. She took her time greeting each in their respective stalls, smiling and petting them when they allowed her so. She could tell Levi was getting impatient by the loud clacking of his shoes outside the building.

"Hurry the hell up," he demanded loudly.

"Sorry," she called. "I'll be out in a moment!"

"A moment," he mockingly clucks his tongue. "More like a day."

To his relief, she really did only take another moment. A few minutes later, she was stepping out of the stables, a horse following behind her...with no reins.

Levi would have questioned her on it if the identify of the horse she had chosen had not surprised him more. After all, she had chosen the most violent of them all - the horse no one had been capable of handling.

"He told me he doesn't have a name yet - and why is that?" Sina interrogated, hands raised to her hips.

"We never had the need to," he responded, still in shock at her daring choice.

"Hm, a name is a must if we want to build a relationship." She turned to the steed. "What about...Horsey the Second?"

The horse immediately neighed in protest. Even Levi himself wanted to drop his face into his palm. "Is your naming sense really that shit? Or are you just not trying?"

"How rude! Of course I'm trying! It's just...Horsey is very important to me, so by naming him 'Horsey the Second', it means he is very important to me as well."

Levi concluded that there had to be a screw loose in her head, but when the stallion, who looks no different from the other brown stallions save for the vicious gleam in his eyes, trotted up behind her and nestled his muzzle in her hair, he knew he would have no say in the matter.

"See? He's okay with it! So Horsey the Second it is!"

He found it hard to believe, but Princess Sina had seduced a horse - a _violent_ horse with a terrifying history of throwing all his riders off. He feared what would happen if she were to get on him, but a part of him already knew the results. If what she had told him about communicating with animals was true, and from the display of affections that had already occurred between the two, Levi knew she would have no trouble working with... _Horsey the Second_.

"Let's see you two in action then," he announced, already turning towards the open field.

* * *

It was an amazing presentation of skill and teamwork between the two. Without a rein, she was able to guide the horse to their destination, overcoming the highest number and difficulty of obstacles along the way. Many, even after numerous days of training, could not attempt such a feat - and they were working with reins on horses that were more pleasant to work with. At this point, he had no doubt she could in some way communicate with animals (or at least just spiders and horses). It was either that, or she just had an uncanny affinity with them.

"Wasn't he amazing?" Sina beamed as she hopped off Horsey the Second.

He tried to keep a straight face, but his astonishment could not be hidden completely. "You weren't...bad."

"Hear that? He said you were amazing!"

"I _did not_ say that."

"You were thinking it."

Getting back to business, he brushed her (true) statement off. "You have the option of making him your permanent horse. That way, only you are allowed to use him - and it follows that you will use no other steed but him."

"That sounds like a fine deal to me," she gleamed. Not waiting for any other orders, she began to turn away with Horsey the Second following closely behind her. The horse just naturally followed her around like she was his master or something - that was certainly impressive.

What was not impressive was her acting without consent.

"Did I say you were done?"

She stopped and spun around immediately. "Oh sorry! Force of habit. I thought I was still at home," she laughed nervously. It was an innocent enough mistake seeing as she had only arrived earlier today. Considering everything she had been through last night, she must have been exhausted.

He sighed. "Fine. Bring the horse back to the stables, then return to your quarters and get that muck off yourself. You better be sparkling clean by the time I call you down for dinner. Just know that you won't be getting off so easily next time."

She nodded happily. "Yes sir! See you later!"

She hurriedly dashed off with the horse galloping beside her. He could hear her cheery voice and the horse's neighing mingling in the distance as he too made his way back. All along the way, he cursed Hanji as it was obviously her fault he had to visit the inner palace and be forced into this position in the first place.

* * *

When Levi went to call her for dinner that night, he noticed two things. First, she was not in her bedroom. He had an inner panic attack (god knows Levi doesn't outwardly panic where people can see), but then he had an inkling of where she was. Following his instinct, he soon found himself at the stables again.

The second thing he noticed was that she was _not_ sparkling clean like he had demanded of her. She was still dirty from tidying her room earlier, and by staying in the stables for so long, her attire had only been sullied more.

And why was she still in the stables at this hour? She had fallen asleep, of course - on the hay stack laid out for the horses. And if that wasn't outrageous enough, Horsey the Second's stall doors were flung wide open. He could have escaped due to her lack of responsibility! It was only the fact that the steed was still standing obediently inside the stall that stopped Levi short from kicking her awake in total anger.

In all honesty, he would have preferred not to approach the previously violent horse - he did _not_ want to know how far the animal could toss him. Still, he had to take the slumbering girl back to her room. He took a deep breath, convincing himself that _the_ Levi Ackerman could not be afraid of a stupid horse.

He approached cautiously, but when the animal scoffed and switched the balance on his footing, he stopped. They had a silent stare off for a good minute before he found the courage to step closer. The horse made another noise.

"I just need her to get back to her room. She'll see you again tomorrow," he spoke as calmly as he could. The horse didn't neigh. (Well, what did he expect? To be able to talk to animals like Sina?) When he tried another step forward this time, the horse didn't seem to mind.

However, when he was close enough to touch her, Horsey the Second seemingly picked up his intent to shake her awake. He did not hesitate to push Levi away as his head connected with the offending hand. It hadn't hurt, as the horse had been gentle with him, but he had a feeling that was only the case because he did not want any loud cries of pain to wake her up.

So the horse knew the princess needed her much-required beauty sleep. Wonderful.

Sighing in relief that he would at least not die by the hoofs of a horse, he gently picked up the girl. He had to lay her down onto the (dirty ass) ground in order to lock up the gates, but surprisingly Horsey the Second was so cooperative that he _fucking_ pushed the door closed himself.

He stood in a moment of shock before muttering a quiet "thank you" and locking the gates up.

* * *

When he was far enough from the stables to feel safe in his decision, he placed her on the ground and promptly nudged her awake.

"You're heavy," he deadpanned.

It took a while to register what the corporal had said, but when it did she shot up as though water had been poured on her. That would have been nice, considering how nasty she was. And she stunk like horse shit.

"You smell horrible too," he added. "And you look like shit."

"I get it already, I'll take a - Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry! I was grooming him and cleaning his stall, but I was kind of tired after that so I thought I'd just take a short break, but then-"

"Save it." He stood up, turning on his heel. "Go fix yourself. I'll bring dinner up for you."

"Uh, okay. Thanks, I guess," she replied unceremoniously.

She stood up, though not without difficulty as she had been lying down for so long, but she soon followed his trail back towards the dormitory.


	16. Sneaky Adventures

16\. Sneaky Adventures

* * *

When Sina entered the bathing area, she was taken aback by how clean and shiny everything was. Levi had told her earlier that there was no need to sanitize the bathroom as he had done it himself, but she had expected it to be done half-assed. So imagine her surprise when she was greeted by a perfectly clean bathroom.

Well anyhow, thanks to the corporal, she was able to enjoy her shower without worrying about dirty walls or stained floors. It took some vigorous scrubbing and a good thirty minutes (quite a feat if you consider the fact that she was only using one hand), but she walked out squeaky clean. Feeling warm and content, she headed towards her bedroom. Her hair was still dripping at the ends, and she might have left a trail of water from the washroom to her room, but drying it could wait. Her hunger couldn't though.

An inviting scent hit her before she even opened the door, so she anticipated the tray of hot food sitting on her otherwise empty desk. However, she did not think the corporal himself would be in her room.

"You sure took your time," he commented almost condescendingly, eyes not lifting from his paperwork.

"I was…really dirty."

"That's true."

He said nothing else as he continued to sit - in her seat!

"Uh, thanks for the food. You can go now."

He finally glanced up. With a glint in his eyes, he smirked. "Are you giving me orders now?"

Slightly irritated from the hunger, Sina rolled her eyes. "No, but I don't think you'd want me eating on my bed. So let me have my chair and you can stay."

He outright ignored her. "Your hair's still wet. Make sure you dry it properly before you sleep. I don't need you getting sick on your first day of training."

"Yeah, yeah mom."

She had spouted it out before it even registered in her mind. At times like this, she wondered why she didn't have a filter in her brain. Of course, since her mom was the queen, it really wasn't an insult…but she didn't think Levi would think of that.

Surprisingly, he sighed.

"It certainly feels like I'm your mother. Now if you'd only behave like a good child…"

He slowly rose out of his seat, and though she had no idea why, Sina found herself nudging back ever so slightly.

He glanced sharply at her. "Leave no crumbs."

She nodded vigorously.

"Good night."

And just like that, she was left alone, though she could hear him mumbling about the wet floor as soon as he exited the room.

* * *

Though Levi had said no crumbs, it still didn't feel right leaving the tray in her room. It was probably best to bring the dishes down to the kitchen after all. That being said, she had no idea where anything was at this point, and she had a feeling the corporal didn't want her wandering in the halls.

Maybe she should pay him a visit?

Then again, he had specifically told her not to find him unless she was dying, so that probably wasn't a good idea.

She decided to go with the lesser of the two evils: finding the kitchen herself. Besides, it was already late. She doubted anyone would be out at this hour anyway.

With her mind set, she channeled her sneaky side, the one she always relied on to get out of the palace. Though the cautious tiptoeing would help her not get caught, it wouldn't help find her destination. This would have been a lot easier if there were animals along the hallway she could communicate with - spiders, mice, anyone! They may have been able to give clues on where the kitchen might be. Unfortunately, the hallways had been wiped clean, and she swore that the only spider in this whole building was the one in her room - who she had asked earlier, but had received no viable hints from.

It felt like an eternity, but she finally hit gold when a sign that read "dining hall" came into view. This could only mean that the kitchen was nearby as well. Maybe the two rooms connected through too.

The door was closed, but she could make out the light coming through underneath. Carefully, she placed her ear against the door and sure enough, there were voices. Great. She would have to avoid this route then.

Silently, she creeped pass the dining room and made it to the door next over. Thankfully, it was the kitchen she was looking for. Now all she had to do was open the door slowly…

 _Creak_.

Well then.

The doors back at home had always been greased and well maintained, so she never had any trouble with sneaking pass them. Plus, windows were always an option.

Now this. This was new. She did not expect creaky doors, but she should have known better. The building was old, and there really was no reason to keep the doors brand new. In fact, the sound would probably alert them if anyone was sneaking in…which was what she was totally _not_ doing right now.

She heard the sound of footsteps thudding against the wooden planks of the floor. Whoever was in the dining hall must have heard the noise. In a panic, Sina threw the rest of the door open, ran inside, and slammed the door shut behind her. Her first thought was to find a place to hide.

Wait.

Why was she hiding again?

She wasn't anyone suspicious. All she wanted to do was return the dirty dishes. If anything, the corporal had only wanted to hide her until he got the chance to properly introduce her. Right. She didn't need to hide.

So as casually as she could, she left the dishes in the sink, just as the door to the kitchen opened.

"Oh? You are…"


	17. Slavedriver

17\. Slavedriver

* * *

 _"_ Oh? You are…"

Sina immediately spun around. Feeling like a thief caught in the act, she gulped.

"You are…you are…" the intruder (or was _she_ the intruder here?) trailed off. Then, with more certainty, "I definitely know you! I've seen you before!"

Said intruder sported dark brown hair in a pony tail, with narrow glasses sitting loosely on her nose. She seemed to be a woman, though Sina could not say for sure. Nonetheless, she seemed harmless enough, and if her goofy way of greeting Sina said anything about her personality, then she would even say she was rather innocent.

But that she could recognize Sina was something to be concerned about. She would have to play it safe and watch what was coming out of her mouth.

"I was just returning some dishes."

"Where have I seen you before?"

Aside from the fact that this person just completely ignored her, she was also pressing further into her identity. Scratch what she said before. This woman was dangerous.

"I think you've mistaken me for someone else. I'm new here." Forcing her lips to lift, Sina tried her best to smile calmly.

One thing was for sure. If anyone else found out about her identity, it would increase the risk of word floating back to the inner gates about a princess being enlisted in the army. If that happens, she wouldn't be able to explore the outside world anymore. She'd be lucky if she was even allowed to stay anywhere near Levi.

"Hmm… maybe." She didn't look convinced. "Well if it _is_ our first time meeting, it's nice to meet you! My name's Hanji."

"Sira. Likewise," she greeted, moving in to shake hands.

"What's taking so long?" a rougher voice interrupted before the owner of it followed. A familiar face walked in. "Oh? You are…"

"That's exactly what I said!" Hanji exclaimed, pointing at the newcomer. "I knew she looked familiar!"

"You're…the new recruit from Wall Sina," the blonde deduced.

Sina nodded, looking at him gratefully. "Thank you for your help back then." If it wasn't for this guy, Levi would have probably knocked her unconscious during the testing period, and she probably wouldn't have ever made it this far.

He nodded once in acknowledgement but said no more.

Meanwhile, the brunette looked very amazed. "Wall Sina? Why would a protected brat want to risk her life out here?"

"That's enough, Hanji." He turned to look at Sina. "You should retire for the night. Training will be tough tomorrow."

She was excited for a moment until the dull ache in her wrist reminded her of her injury. "I don't know if I'll be training with everyone yet. I kind of…" Sina gestured to her wrist. "But I'll heal quickly and get to work ASAP!" As proof of her undying devotion, she shot her hand to her forehead in what she thought to be a salute.

The two soldiers looked uncomfortable. The one she knew for sure to be a man sighed.

"You have a lot to learn."

* * *

The morning came bright and early…on second thought, it was so early that it wasn't even bright out yet. Regardless of the gloomy sky, her wake up call did the honours of kicking on her door to wake her up. Levi's grumpy voice nagged at her from the other side.

"You better be out in five!"

She took three of those minutes to convince herself that she did not want to experience the midget's wrath early in the morning, and another minute to follow through with her thoughts and physically get up from bed.

When the five minute mark hit, she was still in the washroom cleaning herself up.

"Why the fuck are you so slow?"

She glanced tiredly at him through the mirror. He was leaning against the doorway, arms folded and eyes narrowing in annoyance.

Unfortunately, Sina's brain still wasn't functioning at a hundred percent yet. Combined with brushing her teeth, all that she managed to say was "Fuffoff."

"Speak coherently," Levi scolded.

She spat out the toothpaste-water mixture from her mouth, rinsing thoroughly before meeting his eyes again.

"I said fuck off."

The corporal noticeably took a deep breath in and out before opening his mouth, an irritated expression sprawled across his face. "Not a morning person, I see. I'll properly reprimand you later, when your brain is actually working. It'll only waste energy to reprimand you now."

"Whatever."

Awake-Sina may regret her words later.

* * *

"You'll be cleaning the halls today."

"When can I graduate from janitor duty?" Sina whined with bread stuffed in her mouth.

He looked visibly disgusted.

"Shut your damn mouth when you eat. What kind of princess are you?"

With food in her system, Sina was finally awake enough to notice what he had said. Alarmed, she whipped her head around the room to make sure no one else was listening. _No one_ could find out about her being a princess.

"Relax. They're all training in the forest a distance from here."

At that, Sina sighed in relief.

"No one would believe you even if you stood on a podium and announced it anyway," he scoffed, turning his head to the side.

The fucking midget just had to add that in, didn't he?

After swallowing her breakfast and gulping down a glass of water, she abruptly stood up, harshly slamming the cup down onto the table. "I'm not the type to flaunt my status."

He looked up at her from his position across the table. "I know."

"If you know, then-"

"Follow me. I'll show you where you need to clean."

He left no room for argument as he led her out the dining room and into the halls.

* * *

"Wipe down the windows and doors. Make sure to scrub the door knobs down thoroughly - those get so nasty from their sweaty hands. Mop the floor - do _not_ leave it slippery. The other soldiers' rooms are down that hall. Do not enter any of their rooms; just clean the doors and the hallway. Their washrooms are off limits too - let those grimy kids clean up after themselves. The supplies are in this closet - make sure to clean this area as well. Any questions?"

"Can I make complaints?"

"No. Finish before lunch time. They'll all come scrambling in by that time and I do not want you mingling with them just yet. Got it?"

"By lunch time?! Are you crazy? I can't do all this by myself!"

"Makes you wish you didn't wake up late, doesn't it? Now if you'll excuse me, I'll go 'fuck off'." With that said, he spun on his heel and walked away.

Sina narrowed her eyes at his back. "Fucking slavedriver," she muttered under her breath.

"I heard that."


End file.
